Female Bodybuilding

Here bodybuilder and strongwoman Kathy Bertram snaps a baseball bat:



Impressive, huh? Kathy performs her feats of strength as part of a Christian ministry, and there's no question that she is remarkably strong—so strong that it's almost enough to make a believer out of a heathen like me.

Female bodybuilders are the subject of endless fascination, and the varied reactions they elicit from people are almost as fascinating as they are: admiration, bewilderment, antipathy, titillation... pretty much you name it. FBBs challenge naive assumptions about gender and upset social norms—muscle and brute strength, often considered the last bastions of male dominance, are theirs to wield. The visual impression is undeniable, but they should be regarded as much for their perseverance as for their steely physiques.

Isabelle Turell is featured in this clip, where she deadlifts 315 lb for 15 reps, part of her preparation for an upcoming bodybuilding competition. As you watch, think of what she, like most female bodybuilders, has had to endure—pain, injury, money difficulties, apathy and derision—to make herself into what she is today, a real-life superwoman:

In this video clip we see bodybuilder Isabelle Turell doing a 405 lb deadlift for 3 reps:



How's that for a display of raw strength? Forget about pretty good for a girl... it's pretty good, period.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday season. See you in 2008!

The folks at nubar are excited because nubar is a sponsor of the Ms. Fitness World this year. (I learned this because someone at nubar was kind enough to write and tell me. ) I applaud nubar, just as I do any organization that sponsors women's athletics. So kudos, nubar!

But I should also take this opportunity and challenge organizations to step up and sponsor female bodybuilding contests. The prize money available to female bodybuilders is only a fraction of what is there for male bodybuilders (further skewed by the splintering of the sport on the women's side into bodybuilding, figure, and fitness). It would be nice to see female bodybuilders, who are highly dedicated athletes, getting financial rewards on a par with male bodybuilders—not to mention judging standards that aren't schizophrenic and sexist.